Cumberland Mountain State Park Camping Trip & Atthawominee

Above: a colorful Autumn leaf at Atthawominee

Cumberland Mountain State Park Camping Trip & Atthawominee

 11/15/2021

Kenny, Dana & Gabe Koogler 

Cumberland Mountain State Park Pix

  We had planned back in September to take a camping trip to Cumberland Mountain State Park to do some more hiking.  We were coping at the time with our son and daughter-in-law relapsing into drug use and alcoholism.  They were in that gray area where they were using, but would clean up and quit then get after it again.  We had to white knuckle it during that time.

It got particularly bad and we ended up having to divide and conquer as regards the children.  Thankfully the Wilbourns, Lydia's parents took Mia to keep for the weekend.  We took Gabriel and kept him because he was big enough to allow us to keep our plans for camping.   So this trip would not be exactly as planned, but we could do parts of it. He was now in kindergarten, but we'd just take him out for a day. The way things were going in that household we figured the trip would do him good.  We could rest easy knowing the Mia and Gabe were both safe and sound.

       The original purpose was to celebrate our 37th Wedding Anniversary.

We thought we'd get in some hiking at the state park.  We could knock out the only remaining trail we needed to hike there.. the Overnight Loop.   We would revisit a site we'd been to many years earlier.. Atthawominee.

We also wanted to hike some of the trails at Head of the Sequatchie.

        The forecast called for it to be dreadfully cold.   They hit it pretty close too on the predictions.   We took Gabey and went to stay.  He loves camping and is a fun little boy.   We ended up the first day just taking him to enjoy the playground at the state park.   We also hit up some of the area thrift stores.

We visited Cumberland Homesteads Tower and Museum and saw friend and manager Kelly Cox.  She is the sweetest person and does such a fine job.

Gabe loved the tower and the steps and the view!

Above: Fall colors at Cumberland Mountain State Park

Below: Gabriel and Papaw at the playground at the state park

Below: View from the Homesteads Tower

Below: view going down the steps of the tower from the very top

Above and below: Grandson Gabriel age 5 and Lucas the Spider up in the tower. 

Below: Homesteads tower museum

    Saturday at Atthawominee

  We visited a really neat land form I found several years ago in Bledsoe County.

I found out that I had stumbled upon a special place that a buddy of mine had already visited.  He renamed it to avoid attracting attention to it and potentially ruining it.  I had found it not realizing what I'd done.  Once he told me I decided the best thing to do was to stick with the name he used as a safeguard.  It is possible that it will become public land in the future.   A conservation agency has approached the land owners about the possibility of purchasing the property. 

I hope if they do get it that it remains in tact.  Graffiti taggers, litter bugs and slobs can ruin anything. They just don't care for the land and the beauty. They are not good stewards of natural resources and have little appreciation for it. 

 

So before the question is asked I'll answer it.  No, I won't give the true name of it. and No. I will never provide directions to it.  I am unlikely to ever take anyone there to visit unless it is a grandchild of mine.  

     We headed out to explore this cool rock formation.  

The Autumn colors were splendid today!  The day had warmed up pretty well, but our jackets still felt good.

Below: A glowing Autumn day at Atthawominee. Look at all those shades of rust, orange, yellow, gold, brown! 

Above: Gabriel at the rock formation.  He loved this place and exploring!

Path through the rocks

Sunbeams shining down on the top of the formation

Above and below: another vantage of the top of the rocks and the colors

Above: do you see Gabe down in there and how tiny he is?  

I think if I understand correctly this rock was at one time... all one piece and has fractured into many pieces all the way down to the earth. 

Above: an arching spot in the rocks to crawl through

Above: Gabe slides down the leaf litter to the bottom

Above: Kenny and Gabe climbing back out

Ferns sticking out of the rocks

Gabe leading the way

Above:  I am down in a hole looking up 

Above: I loved the bright blue skies contrasted with the leaves!

Below: more of the same 

Sunbeams on the craggy rocks with the deep fractures

Above: Gabe has a red leaf

A 'cave" 

Above: We have made it to the center of the formation and looking up  through the giant X that marks the spot!  

Above: a view near the heart of the rock

Above: our way out

Above: standing at the heart of the formation in the X passage.  

Above: working our way back out

Fiery leaves above

Above: looking up through a passage past a balanced rock

  We explored the boulder passages and enjoyed the pretty leaves.

Below is a video of Gabe explaining where we are

      

      

  Back at the campground we fixed dinner and had a roaring fire outdoors.

Above: the moon and clouds at night

Sitting by the fire

Below: Gabe in his heavy coat near Papaw at our camper

Kenny messing with something

Above: the roaring fire and two of my favorite people

Above: the pretty fire

   Sunday morning we got up and it was bitterly cold. Worse than it had been. 

We tried our best to think of things to do, but no one really felt like getting out in those temperatures. Gabe had a cough and a runny nose. I felt if we kept him out in that he'd wind up missing school on Monday from illness.  We packed up and headed on home a day early.    We got Gabe some medicine for his symptoms and he recovered just fine. It was great to go and great to get home and sleep in our own beds.  We raised this little boy off and on since he was born so we have never stopped having a room for him at our house.  He came home and snuggled up in his own bed and Nanny read him his favorite books.  Garth Pig and the Ice Cream Lady and Aesop's Fables... Elephant Son.  

      At the time of this writing 8/22/2022 ... our family is in recovery.

My son and daughter in law signed over custody of kids to both sets of grandparents.   They got admitted to rehab for treatment and are now out and in the sober living phase of their recovery.  I am getting some counseling for my own nerves and getting well.   I was like a dog that had been kicked one too many times.     My nerves were shredded, but I thank God for healing and support and resilience.